Carriage-top fastener



- (No Model.) Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. J. TRAVIS.

CARRIAGE TOP FASTENER- INVENTOR No. 297,034. Pate ted A r. 15,1884.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

J. J. TRAVIS.

CARRIAGE TOP FASTENER.

No. 297,034. Patented Apr. 15, 1884.

WITNESSES: $2 INVENTOR:

S BY u I 2 ATTORNEYS.-

N. PETERS. Plwto-Lilhogrlphlr. wummvn. D. c

llnrrnn STATES PATENT Cre ice.

JOHN JACOB TRAVIS, OFCARSON CITY, MICHIGAN.

CARRIAGE-TOP FASTENER.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 297,034, dated April 15, 1884. i Application filed November 2, 1883. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN JACOB TRAVIS, of Carson City, in the county of Montcalm and State of Michigan, have inventeda new and Improved Carriage Top Fastener, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. 7

My invention consists of straps attached to the bows of buggy and other falling carriage-tops in a novel manner, for use in fastening the bows together, and to the braces of the top when the top is down, for preventing the flopping of the top by the jolting of the carriage, to protect them from breaking and wear, the said straps being so arranged that when the top is up said straps may be so disposed as to serve a useful purpose in staying the bows and for hand-loops, and so as not to prevent an unsightly appearance, all as hereinafter fully described. 7

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a buggytop having straps applied to the bows according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same folded down, and with the bows secured by the straps. Fig. 3 is a side view of one of the straps. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of Fig. 2 on the line a: a. Fig- 5 is a detail in longitudinal section of one of the carriagebows and cross-section of one of the fastening-straps. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a buggy-top folded down and secured by the back part of the straps only. Fig. 7 is a section of Fig. 6 on line 3/ y; and Fig. 8 is aside elevation of the top in the upright position, with the straps adjusted for handloops.

On the bow a, at the lower margin of the top I), and on the inside of each-side portion of the bow, I attach a strap, 0, by a screw or other button-headed stud, d, and pins or tacks d, permanently connecting said strap by extending the stem of the stud through the bow and riveting it, which said strap is made in suitable length to extend to the next bows cf each way, or to the back bow only,

and button to them by button-studs g, attached to said bows, the straps having suit-' able button-holes in the ends for the purpose, and I make the straps c with a short extension, 0, beyond the back bow, and having a button-hole, c". The straps are thus dis posed when the carriage-top is set up for use, and in that condition they serve to stay the bows to someextent against the shocks of the carriage; or the back parts of the straps may be adjusted for hand-loops k, as in Fig. 8, by looping them up to and buttoning the ends on the studs (2; but the most essential object is to dispose of the straps in this manner, so as not to present an unsightly appearance when the top is up. The principal office of the said straps c is to bind the bows together and to the braces h when the top is let down, to hold the bows down firmly,so as to prevent chafing and breaking them, which is accomplished with the said straps when the front parts are used by unbuttoning them at the studs 9 and passing the back parts of the straps around the braces h and buttoning them on the studs 01 by the extensions c, and passing the front parts around the bows f and i, and also buttoning the ends thereof to one of the button-studs d employed to connect the lower curtains, or any other stud suitably attached to any one of the bows for the purpose, thus securing the bows to the braces, by which they will be held much more compactly, and so as not to be thrust up and down to such extent by the jolting of the carriage, as they otherwise would. In case the side curtains may be at tached to the bows, when it may be desired to connect the bows to the braces in this manner by the back part of the straps, they may be passed over the upper ends of the curtains.

The bows may all be connected to the braces h by the back parts only of the straps, as represented in Fig. '7, if preferred, the back parts of the straps being passed under said braces and up to the front bows and buttoned thereto on the curtain-buttons d. The front parts of the straps may be dispensed with in this case. By thus confining the bows the carriage Will ride easier, and will also draw 2. The straps 0, attached at their middle to easier. the bows a, and provided at their ends with Having thus fully described my invention, I button-holes, in combination with the buttons claim as new and desire to secure by Letters 9 on the bows 6f at their upper ends, where- 15 5 Patent by the strap may serve as a brace, substan- 1. The combination of the straps c with the tially as set forth. bows of a carriage-top, said straps being attached at or near the middle to one bow at, JOEL JACOB TRAVIS and adapted to fasten around the bows and Witnesses:

10 the braces h, to confine the bows when the top A. D. MOORE,

is folded down, substantially as described. 0. E. OoMBs. 

